PACT Journal #2

Lindsay Miller

February 11^th-15^th, 2016

Menlo Church

Brett Koerten

bkoerten@menlo.church

I was a little more prepared for my return trip to Mexicali my junior year. I was anxious to know if any of the local kids I met last year will remember me. The countless Facebook messages I received from the kids gave me hope, even if I could barely understand them. Sure enough, one little boy named Edgar came running up to me right when I got to the village. I could tell that he was hiding something behind his back and he wore a sheepish smile on his face. He reached out his hand and proudly gave me a blue and yellow paper-woven heart that he had made at school.

Many people ask me if my trip to Mexicali made me grateful for everything I have and tell me that it’s so special that I help people “less fortunate” than I am. However, the lessons I gained and changes I underwent while in Mexicali have a much deeper meaning for me. I believe that the villagers are actually more fortunate than most people I know back home because of their collective happiness. None of them were focused on work or success but instead prioritized their families and friends, which is what makes their communities so strong and happy. I felt really rewarded after helping the villagers but also felt like I had learned something from them.

PACT Journal #1

Lindsay Miller

February 12^th-16^th, 2015

Menlo Church

Brett Koerten

bkoerten@menlo.church

This was my first time to Mexicali and I had no idea what to expect. Every year, the high school ministry at my church takes around a hundred high schoolers and some leaders down to Mexicali via a joyous eighteen-hour bus ride. We are split up into “villages”, groups of about thirty people who go to certain communities’ churches scattered throughout Mexicali. At the villages, we complete smaller construction projects, run activities for the children, or niños, and even put on a carnival festival for all five villages to attend.

The experience has broadened my viewpoint and way of life, making me more mature and sensitive to others and myself. One man I talked to over a taco lunch told me that he drove one hour a day to pick vegetables on a farm, making one dollar an hour. However, he was still engaged in his community and spent his free time helping with church community activities and building relationships.  Like every other villager I talked to, he was extremely compassionate and surprisingly content with his simple lifestyle. The importance of connection to others helped those I met maintain strong relationships with family, each other and even the random church from California that came to visit them for four days a year. I felt like I made a difference in the people's lives, especially the kids. I gave them attention that they normally don't get on a daily basis, which made them extremely happy, something that was very rewarding for me to see. 

Pact Journal Entry #1

Megan Tung

April 29, 2016 3:30-5:30pm

Hoover School; BGCP Robotics Class

Damien White and Kira N. Edwards

dwhite@bgcp.org; kedwards@bgcp.org

Going into the robotics class I did not know much about robotics itself/how to program, but I went in with an open mind to learn how.  Because one of my passions is photography, I was asked to take pictures of the students, as they were working and help the students as much as I could.  Going into the class knowing we were teaching middle school students I thought that it would be fairly difficult to teach them and keep them focused.  However, the kids were a lot more focused than I thought they would be.  Although there were a few times where the kids did not want to work, it was more common that they were excited to work.  

One aspect of teaching the kids that surprised with me was how interested the kids were about the rigor of high school.  Many of the kids were in 8^th grade and were about to graduate soon, so they wanted to know what to expect in high school.  For the first three classes many of the students were building their robot that they wanted to program, so as they were building I would talk with them about my experiences in high school and would give them tips that helped me in the beginning of high school.  

I also rediscovered my love for teaching kids.  In middle school I peer tutored elementary school kids, so being able to continue this trend really helped me to feel like I was helping future generations thrive.